I’ve been carrying out an e-mail correspondence with LE McCullough for a while now. The man who literally wrote the book on whistle playing has another interesting side to him-- he’s a talented and sometimes very funny writer. He gave me the go ahead to post this link to a darkly funny bit of political satire he wrote. Go dude!
LOL! 
Maybe when Tel Aviv gets nuked Larry will rethink his little play.
Completely OT: In your email correspondence with Mr. McCullough, would you please mention that his use of apparently handwritten musical notes in his books SUCKS! I find them so hard to read I won’t buy the books.
Thanks! 
Susan
I found it pretty funny, but my experience on other forums (forii?) has convinced me that current US foreign policy is quite an inflamatory topic for Americans to discuss at the moment. Do we really need a political flame war on this board too?
I find it rather funny in a sick way that we go on and on about the weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, yet not once have I heard anyone in government metion the unknown chemical weapon used in russia to kill over 113 protestors. Why isn’t Mr. Bush trying to declare war on Russia for their use of chemical weapons of mass destruction? Could it be cause it’s easier to pick on a little kid than one your own size?
Re Russia: The gas isn’t “unknown” at all. In fact, it’s a very well-known anesthetic gas, frequently used in surgeries. It was intended to sedate everybody in the building so the authorities could get the hostages out safely, but something went terribly wrong.
FWIW, most of the people killed weren’t “protesters” (although I would tend to call people who take and kill hostages “terrorists” rather than “protesters”), but the hostages, which makes the situation all the more tragic.
Redwolf
BrewerPaul:
I just get the idea that the guy is basically a prodigy and has figured out how to make it in life on his creative talents, rather than having a day job. he writes plays, music, does recording and i think he works with kids etc etc. i admire him from my standpoint at “work.”
And Susan, that was a bit harsh. The first whistle tutor came out before desktop publishing and macs. i know, i have an old copy from the 70s and agree that it ought to be upgraded if it hasnt already
. We are spoiled with the ease of printing and duplicating now but it used to be a real big deal to get music copied and printed, especially for an obscure (at the time) musical topic.
His 120 Session tunes are in very legible computer typesetting format. My beef is the “no rolls notated” but thats another argument…
As for politics, if you guys really think saddam is just the same as every other leader of countries with nukes etc , then you get my Neville Chamberlain award.
To continually recite the fact that we “dont bomb North Korea or other fairly hostile states with nukes so why pick on saddam” is to fulfill the “useful idiot” function that cynical power brokers worked for this last election, which failed for the most part.
I sure don’t want to bomb babies but the guy has to go and our CIA is pathetic. They couldnt get Fidel and they can’t get Saddam, yet they have apparently done terrible things to nearly everybody for all the years in between.
So if yer the leader of this country, who do you count on? Dumb grunts with “semi” smart bombs or the Keystone spooks??
Or do you wait for him to scud and nuke Tel Aviv to engage other Islamic countries in a World War? He tried that once, remember? Then you can march and sing “we shall overcome” in black clothing for the incinerated Chosen People. Or maybe, Tel Aviv will strike first and you can march and mourn for Saddam his own self. Neither choices are my cup of tea at all.
I mean, just because we might have the means to save millions of lives, we shouldn’t even try right because its so presumptuous on our part??
Must be easy to shoot from yer office chair at Washington. Try getting on a plane and going to Bagdad. Maybe Jimmy carter and Jesse Jackson will go with you (stop by Tripoli and get Moammar too) and you can “reason” with him. Heck, he got 100% of his country’s vote, he must be a Reasonable Person.
Rant finished. Time for a fling.
Nice and incendiary, Weekenders. Suffice to say I don’t agree. I’d jump in, but it’s easier to keep my perspective from a distance. I’ll just sit back and watch the fur fly. - Joel
Edit: I think Jens has it right. The board is more fun when we stick to whistles.
On 2002-11-06 13:00, The Weekenders wrote:
As for politics, if you guys really think saddam is just the same as every other leader of countries with nukes etc , then you get my Neville Chamberlain award.To continually recite the fact that we “dont bomb North Korea or other fairly hostile states with nukes so why pick on saddam” is to fulfill the “useful idiot” function that cynical power brokers worked for this last election, which failed for the most part.
I sure don’t want to bomb babies but the guy has to go and our CIA is pathetic. They couldnt get Fidel and they can’t get Saddam, yet they have apparently done terrible things to nearly everybody for all the years in between.
So if yer the leader of this country, who do you count on? Dumb grunts with “semi” smart bombs or the Keystone spooks??
Or do you wait for him to scud and nuke Tel Aviv to engage other Islamic countries in a World War? He tried that once, remember? Then you can march and sing “we shall overcome” in black clothing for the incinerated Chosen People. Or maybe, Tel Aviv will strike first and you can march and mourn for Saddam his own self. Neither choices are my cup of tea at all.
I mean, just because we might have the means to save millions of lives, we shouldn’t even try right because its so presumptuous on our part??
Must be easy to shoot from yer office chair at Washington. Try getting on a plane and going to Bagdad. Maybe Jimmy carter and Jesse Jackson will go with you (stop by Tripoli and get Moammar too) and you can “reason” with him. Heck, he got 100% of his country’s vote, he must be a Reasonable Person.
[ This Message was edited by: joeln on 2002-11-06 13:13 ]
I can delete it I guess ). i really started off saying that LE is a real talented guy!!! But I do get tired of Bush-sniping IN THIS PARTICULAR SITUATION.
I believe that much of the protest movements have a symbiotic relationship where they depend on being disenfranchised and powerless. It gives motivation for the marches etc. and permanent “higher moral ground”. 8 years of Clinton actually put a lot of the people with that mentality in power and I don’t think they did any better than the mean old Republicans with the various military actions etc. We bombed babies in other places, lost American lives in terror, etc. etc.
Its not easy to actually lead the country but very easy to find fault with those who do.
I don’t have the ultimate answer about Saddam. But he will kill if he can, that is for certain. I can understand the mentality of saying that its not our job to do something about him, but I don’t agree with it.
[ This Message was edited by: The Weekenders on 2002-11-06 13:32 ]
I’ll delete mine if you delete yours
hmmm…thinking…dont wanna be called a coward…hmmmm…dont know the Netiquette…hmmmm…they get real mad when you take away a post, especially if they have just penned a white-lipped response…
Now you know why I am not president!!
[ This Message was edited by: The Weekenders on 2002-11-06 13:37 ]
I was assuming using the handwritten notes, or computer-generated handwritten notes, or whatever they are, was a choice and I was stating my opinion of that choice. If there wasn’t an alternative, I humbly apologize for my sarcastic remark.
Susan
I think you mean the Original Tutor, right Susan?? The old one had a white cover and had hand calligraphy in places, typed copy in others with hand notated musical notes… I think he has another publication which I havent seen…That one had a hand-drawn ad for Lark in the Morning, i think. Almost like a museum piece in tinwhistledom…And the pic of 70s McCullough is pretty funny too. Midwest Cool guy!!! I looked pretty funny then too!
Once the printers have the plates, all parties are reluctant to reset anything because thats all the cost…
There are a few great tunes in that original. I love Boholla Jigs and Love at the Endings…
None of this is that big of a deal, except maybe me accidentally pouring political lighter fluid on all o’ it…
[quote]
I sure don’t want to bomb babies but the guy has to go and our CIA is pathetic. They couldnt get Fidel and they can’t get Saddam, yet they have apparently done terrible things to nearly everybody for all the years in between.
What a coincidence you mention the CIA, we saw a show on the tv just last night which all-but pointed the finger at that crowd for the anthrax terrorism. Did that show make it onto your screens, are you recieving news on the investigations?
Plagon: Nothing would surprise me about those guys, tho I have to admit that a few too many years of watching X-files came home to roost the other day.
In the Sunday paper was a story about this gynecologist with all these weapons etc. That may be the story you mean. He reminded me of a pal of the Smoking Man. Some suspected he was a CIA guy, others just a very nutty smart guy. Blurred distinctions, just like on TV!
We are so massaged but punctured, nudged but walloped with input from media that its hard to have any sense of whats real with the spooks.
Back in '91, I read “Harlot’s Ghost” which was Mailer’s sendup of James Jesus Angleton and pals… Tho it was “fiction”, I am still disturbed with the stuff he dredged up for that tale. Seemed too close to real. And I never know what to think of the fact that Bush Sr. was head of em. Maybe a lot, maybe just a political appointment…
I copyed this form a post I read on the net today.
"We will need all the guidance we can get.
Unfortunately this is the way I see it playing out.
The US will now be more arrogant in its dealings with the rest of the world.
The US lacking good leadership and failing to get the other governments to work with us will take unilateral actions that will make itself a target for future terrorist actions.
In a response to these attacks the government will create more restrictive laws and limit individual freedoms. This will create more “martyrs” that will in turn justify to more fanatics the seeking of revenge. They will be seeking revenge against the United States.
We will then have to deal with our own internal fanatics who will see this loss of freedom as an attack upon their freedoms.
We in an effort to combat this increased terrorism will progressively loose our individual rights.
We will end up in the same place Israel is today, under siege and justifying killing women and children in the name of security.
Let hope I am wrong!
“They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.”
— Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790), Letter to Josiah Quincy, Sept. 11, 1773."
It sure makes be stand back and take a look.
On 2002-11-06 13:34, The Weekenders wrote:
hmmm…thinking…dont wanna be called a coward…hmmmm…dont know the Netiquette…hmmmm…they get real mad when you take away a post, especially if they have just penned a white-lipped response…Now you know why I am not president!!
[ This Message was edited by: The Weekenders on 2002-11-06 13:37 ]
Aww, leave it alone. It’s funny. Like the guy running for governor of CA who proudly described his ferret crusade, or the other who said he was going to show the value of the family by doubling the places they can go camping, fishing, and swimming. Seriously, he said he’d be doubling them. It’s a funny world.
[ This Message was edited by: Dewhistle on 2002-11-06 19:06 ]
On 2002-11-06 10:34, Ron Rowe wrote:
I find it rather funny in a sick way that we go on and on about the weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, yet not once have I heard anyone in government metion the unknown chemical weapon used in russia to kill over 113 protestors.
Mr. Rowe,
Is there any history of mental illness in your family?
Just curious.
Tom.
I think most everybody here has a piece
of the truth about our
situation vis a vis Saddam.
I don’t think our administration
is being silly, but for me
the light dawned when reading
General Anthony Zinni who said
he reflected the view of Gen.
Scwarzkopf and even Colin Powell.
He said, in effect, that there
are several wolves chasing
the american sled through the
wilderness now, and the Iraqi
wolf is maybe fourth back.
We ought to deal with the
first, second and third
wolves, which are more
of a menace at the moment,
while continuing to contain
Iraq for now.
Indeed, spending our energy
on Iraq now may let the closer
wolves close in.
What makes
the issue so hard is that it’s
a matter of perspective,
and what our priorities are.
I do think a lot of the world
has become as afraid of unbridled
american power as they are
of Iraq. Also I see this
administration has having
exercised awful judgement
about the middle east
from the first, and I voted
for these guys. It isn’t
that i think they’re
fools or up to no good,
but I don’t trust their
judgement. Speaking very
personally, I would be
much happier if the move
on Iraq was happening
against the background
of solid progress in
the Israeli-Palestinian
conflict–as opposed to
an ever deepening
crisis. For what
it’s worth… Peace, Jim